In exchange for the plea, prosecutors will drop a charge of assault with intent to murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The lesser assault charge carries a 10-year maximum penalty, but Curry's fourth-or-subsequent-time habitual offender status increases the maximum to life.

After a Cobbs hearing, Borchard indicated he will hand down a four-year minimum sentence for the assault charge. Curry first will have to serve the mandatory, consecutive five-year sentence for possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony-second offense.

Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Boyd said authorities were having witness issues that included securing a material witness warrant for a witness.

"We could anticipate we weren't going to get the best cooperation from the witnesses," Boyd said.

The minimum sentence for the assault charge is based on a state sentencing guideline range of two years and 10 months to 11 years and two months.

"We felt that gave us sufficient range to allow the judge to fashion an appropriate sentence," Boyd added.

Curry admitted to Saginaw Police Detective Ryan Oberle and Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. James Bush that he shot Torry Thomas after Thomas arrived at the Mason house about 5 a.m., Oberle testified at Curry's preliminary hearing. Thomas' girlfriend lived at the house, and Curry was there when Thomas began pounding on the front door, Oberle said Curry told him.

The two men argued, and Curry had a pistol in his hand while Thomas' hands were clenched, Oberle testified Curry told him. Curry told Oberle he was scared of Thomas and that he did not know if Thomas had a weapon in his clenched hands, Oberle testified.

Thomas then "told Curry to go ahead and shoot, so he did," Oberle said, quoting his police report about his interview with Curry.

Curry, also known as "Stress," maintained that he shot Thomas in self-defense, Oberle said. Thomas was shot in the chest but survived.

In addition to the assault charge, Curry pleaded to possessing a firearm as a felon, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent, carrying a concealed weapon, and three counts of the second-offense felony firearm charge.

Borchard is scheduled to sentence Curry on Aug. 6.

— Andy Hoag covers courts for MLive/The Saginaw News. Email him at ahoag@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter @awhoag